More highway openings in Vermont. I’ll never tire of them. This time, it’s the opening of Interstate 91 near Brattleboro, courtesy of the Vermont Landscape Change program. As you can see, the local television station showed up, and there’s a school bus for the dignitaries, and plenty of motorists anxious to drive the new highway have gathered. But it appears they did something else that fine August 11, 1965…

… they invited some local veteran cars to christen the new stretch. So what do you see here? And do you suppose the people driving the then-modern cars would ever believe we’d someday appreciate those cars just as they then appreciated the veteran cars?

23 Responses to “Brattleboro, Vermont, 1965”

Daniel, not sure who, but the photos are mis-dated. This COULDNT have been 8/11/65; look at the parade of 1958 model cars. I see nothing newer than that. But still, lots of eye candy here. The parade consists of: 1958 Chevy, Chrysler Windsor sedan, Cadillac Fleetwood (Probably a local Mayor) and Studebakers. Other `56-`57 models seen, but nothing newer. I’ll take the `58 Studebaker Scotsman 2dr. wagon. You NEVER see those anymore!

I agree, Autobug. It’s inconceivable that among so many vehicles, there wouldn’t be a single one from the ’60s if the year was 1965. I’m skeptical that it would be from even 1959, given the complete lack of anything post-’58.

Love the ’53-’55 Ford panel delivery TV truck. My brother had a lime green ’55 that he drove to high school in the late ’70s.

You are right this was the first ceremony which took place at the Vermont State line. The school bus was for St. Michael’s band that played at the ceremony. I know because I was in the band and I was there that day.

I like the “Old Cars” leading the charge appears to be a 1912 or 1913 Buick Roadster, Followed by a mid 1920′s Pierce-Arrow rumble seat roadster, with a 1912 Model T torpedo roadster in third. Behind the stage looks to be a mid 1920′s Packard touring, another T and a very large brass era touring.

I like the “Old Cars” leading the charge appears to be a 1912 or 1913 Buick Roadster, Followed by a mid 1920′s Pierce-Arrow rumble seat roadster, with a 1912 Model T torpedo roadster in third. Behind the stage looks to be a mid 1920′s Packard touring, another older Pierce roadster and a very large brass era touring.

I like the wagon, too…but my ideal Studebaker would be a 1949-1954 half-ton pickup (since they have the smaller rear window, which allows less of central California’s ever-present heat to enter the cab!).

Hard to tell with the black and white photos, but the trees in the background look bare, so I’d vote for autumn or maybe spring, but not summer. Also, isn’t there a news archive available somewhere that could date when that section of I-91 opened? I remember I-87 from Albany north being opened in sections in the late 50s and early 60s, but by 1965 it was pretty much complete.

These photos were taken at the state line in Guilford, Vermont, about 6.5 miles south of Brattleboro. That access road coming into the southbound lanes of the highway is still there but no longer connected. This section of the highway opened on November 1, 1958.

Interstate 91 from the Vermont-Massachusetts State line north to Brattleboro in Vermont opened to traffic on November 1, 1958.1 This was the first Interstate highway or freeway with controlled access to open in Vermont.

In Vermont, Interstate 91 was built in stages in the late 1950s and through the 1960s. Specific opening dates for certain segments are as follows:2